10M mid cabin express questions. Stringers ect...

[Hardeight]

I have found a 1988 33 mid cabin express I am about to close on. On the side of the vessel it has Trojan International. I have looked at other Trojans with bad stringers, bulkheads ect. This one seems solid, my survey is not for another week ( before I close ). The hull number of the one I am looking at is TRJGK068C888. Would this one have the woodless stringers I have read about here? Is there anything else that anyone would suggest I look at closely? The Crusaders have 110 hours since major rebuild and it has a new generator. I have gained a lot of great information from this site and hope to meet some of you in the future, I just want to make a good purchase and have a good safe vessel, and share my experience. I have had smaller boats, and I taught scuba in Florida for 15 years and have been around boats all my life. This will be my first big boat and a dream I don't want to turn into a nightmare..... thanks

[BobCT]

As usual, the confusion as to which model will tell the tale. Is the galley on the port or Stb side? If port, RWS has documented that model (Express) well and those stringers are not a concern. If it is in fact a mid cabin, you do need to inspect the stringers and bulkhead carefully.

Let me know which model and I can add more if it is a mid cabin. Where is the boat located?

Bob

[Hardeight]

The Galley is on the port side, with the little room about mid ship under the helm. She is located in Hudson, Fl.

[Hardeight]

I typed that wrong. its late.... the galley is on the starboard side with the Head - the same side as the helm.

[BobCT]

Ok, then you do have a mid cabin with traditional plywood/fiberglass stringers. The good news is the stringers are really tall and the fiberglass is pretty substantial. There are a few areas to focus on:

The limber holes with the fiberglass tubes were caulked around the outside from the factory. That caulking has long since shrunk and allows water to get into the plywood. The two most vulnerable are the two near the engine seacocks. This is where water stands when the boat is at rest. I surprisingly had a small section of rot at one of the smaller, rearmost ones near the muffler but water doesn't normally sit there. If there is a lot of standing water and looks like there has been for years, look carefully.

I believe the same forward limber holes are also the root cause of bulkhead rot because the standing water runs under the factory stringer hull gap and wicks up into the bulkhead so focus here as well. My boat is solid and dry but I've done the small rear stringer repair and a 2'x2' section of the bulkhead in front of the Stb engine. That was easily done inside the boat. There are really no hidden areas that are a concern so you can access everything you need to easily.

Ideal scenario? Convince the seller that he needs to know what's going on too and remove the forward most tubes with a hammer. That way you can stick you're finger/mirror right inside the opening. Once you pull away the old caulk, they knock right out. The mid cabin is a nice layout so I wouldn't let some minor rot issues be a deal breaker. The stringer sections under the engines being the most critical but also the most substantial. Feel free to call me if you want more info...
203-530-9031.

Bob

[Hardeight]

Thanks Bob, please email me some photos so I don't miss anything. bharris@primaxconstruction.com my phone number is 910-489-8570 I appreciate all the help and advise that I have received here and hope to make some good contributions myself.

Bill Harris

[yorklyn]

like bob said look at the round plastic drain holes in the stringers (on the bottom right of the picture). I believe that's what killed my stringers. I would not let a little ,localized rot blow the deal. the glass is a very heavy lay up. Good luck!

[Hardeight]

Todd, thanks for the photo. I am trying to be very educated going into this one. Would love to seem some more photos of your repairs... and your boat.

[yorklyn]

here is a link to my renovation album on photobucket. be warned, its over 900 pictures. I have been trying to document the entire renovation.
http://s247.photobucket.com/user/Yorkly ... nger%20rot

[P-Dogg]

I have been trying to document the entire renovation.

And we thank you for that. We all make this forum better and our (dare I say it) boats more valuable when we take the time to share info on how to keep them going. You have certainly done your fair share.